Needs assessment of El Niño -affected families continues

Approximately 250,000 family food packs worth P90.8 million have been extended, as of April 15, by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as augmentation support to local government units (LGUs) affected by the El Nino phenomenon.

The distribution of relief goods started in the fourth quarter of 2015.

DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said that the provision of food aid to affected families through the LGUs will continue as long as there is a need for it.

Sec. Soliman added that the DSWD, in coordination with LGUs, is fast-tracking the conduct of needs assessment of affected families to determine other appropriate assistance.

As of April 16, a total of 457,497 families or 2,124,790 persons from Regions NCR, I, II, III, IV-A, IV-B, VI, VII, X, XI, XII, and ARMM have been affected by El Nino.

In Region X, the DSWD-Field Office distributed food and rice in the affected towns of Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon over the weekend.

It is also scheduled to distribute rice to 13,292 families in the municipalities of Quezon and Talakag, and in Valencia City, all in Bukidnon on April 19-29. Bukidnon is already under a state of calamity.

Duly accredited civil society organizations, in close coordination with the DSWD, shall undertake the distribution.

“Along with the rest of the government, DSWD recognizes the urgency of responding to the situation of hunger affecting the poor in many parts of the country,” Sec. Soliman said.

She added that families who have not received help yet may inform the Pantawid Pamilya parent leaders in their barangays and sitios so that DSWD can send the needed assistance immediately. (DSWD)